Marguerite and John made their way through the jungle, their steps quick and purposeful as they tried to catch up with William and Thalia. The sounds of wildlife were all around them: the bird songs echoing from above, the occasional hissing of snakes, the crackling of branches underfoot, the flutter of wings, the distant hoots and shrieks of monkeys and the occasional growl from hidden predators. But despite its dangers, the jungle was beautiful and captivating. Shafts of sunlight managed to pierce the dense canopy and reveal the lush, mysterious world around them. The forest floor was covered in moss and mud and water vines hung like elegant curtains around the tall trees.
"I don't know how much has changed, but I don't remember the jungle being this romantic," Marguerite said as they walked.
"Perhaps the jungle is not the only thing that's changed, but us." John suggested.
"Or maybe we're just getting old and sentimental," Marguerite quipped back, her tone light and teasing.
John's laughter echoed softly. "Sentimental, maybe, but old? Never."
They made a brief pause to drink water and catch their breath.
As they rested on the ground, leaning against a tree, John's gaze wandered around.
"Seeing all of this, the challenges and the beauty, it makes me wonder if we could ever truly leave the Plateau behind. It feels like this place has become a part of us, inviting us to keep exploring and never stop."
Marguerite looked at him fondly. "It worries me when you start talking like that... It sounds as if you would like to make the Plateau our permanent home."
"I wouldn't mind that at all," he confessed. "But then, I think about how much you cherish being the lady of the house, immersing yourself in the role with such dignity and delight. I couldn't possibly take that away from you... My beautiful countess."
Marguerite felt a rush of warmth at his words, her heart fluttering in response. Leaning into the moment, she moved closer for a kiss. But just as their lips were about to meet, she paused, pulling back slightly. "Oh, John, we can't flirt with our son missing. It's not right."
"You're right of, course. We'll have time for us once we've ensured our family is safe and whole again."
He rose, extending his hand towards Marguerite. She slipped hers into his, allowing the strength of his grip to pull her to her feet.
Soon they arrived to the spot from where William had signaled them with light and mirror. They recognized it by the arrow and initials he had carved into a tree.
"Smart boy," John said. "Always thinking ahead, making sure we've got a clear path to follow."
Marguerite's gaze lingered on the same handiwork. "Smart?" she echoed. "A truly smart move would have been to wait for us here."
John caught Marguerite's eye. "He's following the poachers to stop them from getting out with a troglodyte. William knows what's at stake."
"Of course, he does," she acknowledged quietly. "Heroics and reckless decisions. Just like his father."
They began to follow the path marked by their son until darkness started to fall. John said they would have to pause and continue in the morning, as moving through the jungle at night was not safe.
Marguerite responded with concern, "Not safe? Our son is out there. All alone."
John reassured her, "He's not entirely alone. He has Thalia, an Avatar warrior, and a revolver. We won't achieve anything by risking our lives or losing his trail in the dark."
Marguerite looked visibly distressed at the thought. John wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace.
"He's tougher than me, smarter than you and we taught him well." He said.
Marguerite's voice softened as she held on to John. "I just want him in my arms."
"And he will be." John promised. "We'll find him."
Around the lively bonfire, William Roxton and Randolph Applegate were immersed in a dynamic discussion.
"You see, kid," Randolph began, stirring the fire with a stick, "Not every venture goes according to plan. Take, for instance, a job we pulled off in Johannesburg. Promised to be smooth sailing, but ended up going south faster than a flash of lighting. Lost a good man that day, and nearly got pinched myself."
William, despite his situation, found himself invested in Randolph's stories. The man's life was a bundle of crime, peril and adventure.
"And now, there's this next big thing once we're out of this godforsaken place," Randolph continued. "One last heist that could set us up for life. But there's a snag, a couple of holes in the plan that I can't seem to patch up. Security's tighter than a drum, and the window of opportunity is narrower than a miser's heart."
As the fire crackled and popped between them, Randolph leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. He laid out the details of his plan, revealing the complexities and challenges of the operation to William who listened intently, absorbing every detail. He couldn't resist the urge to engage. His mind raced with ideas and solutions.
"What if you had a diversion crew?" Wiliam suggested. "A team to draw attention, create a bit of chaos away from the real target. It could split their focus and give you the time you need."
"A diversion crew, you say? That's not half bad. But it's not just about causing a stir. It needs to be timed perfectly, so that it doesn't just become background noise."
"Exactly," William replied eagerly, the game of strategy unfolding before him as naturally as if he'd been planning heists himself. "You could choose a target that's too tempting to ignore, something that guarantees they'd pull resources. It would make them think they've outsmarted you, right up until they realize they've been played."
"You've got a sharp mind, kid. Planning a heist with Randolph Applegate by a bonfire in the middle of the Lost World," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Your folks would have my head for this."
For a moment, William entertained the thought that if all criminals were like Randolph Applegate, he could easily outsmart them all, rising to become the best in the game in no time. The idea was awfully tempting. Yet, deep down, the lessons and values instilled in him by his parents whispered a different tale.
The woman with the hoarse voice approached them, her tone cutting through the night air.
"What are you doing, Randolph?"
Randolph looked at her. "What?"
"You're getting too cozy with the boy," she accused, her words heavy with suspicion.
"The boy's very interesting and has proven to be quite resourceful," Randolph said.
"It smells like trouble. You better watch what you're doing," she warned.
After the woman departed, Randolph turned to William with a sigh of resignation. "Sorry, kid. I like you, but you're the child of my adversaries. I'll have to tie you up again for the night, so we can all sleep peacefully."
And so, Randolph reluctantly bound William and Thalia's hands and feet once more before rejoining his companions. Soon after, the sounds of their snores filled the night.
"What do we do now, genius?" Thalia asked.
"I have no idea." William admitted.
"Who is this Randolph Applegate, anyway?" she probed further.
"I only know about him what my Mum had told me in stories." William shared, recalling the tales. "She said he was rather notorious, but now that I've met him, I'm not so sure."
At that moment, an Avatar warrior appeared, signaling them to be silent with a finger to his lips. He moved with such stealth, almost soundlessly, that William thought of it as an art form. The Avatar first untied them, then with the same silence, approached the cage and freed the troglodyte, using a wire to skillfully unlock the padlock. Thalia took the troglodyte in her arms, and they quietly slipped away from the camp, the poachers' loud snoring masking their escape.
Once they had put some distance between themselves and the camp, William asked the Avatar for his name. It was Phoebus.
"Do you realize what this means?" Thalia asked. "It means Phoebus has been following us from the start. We were never really alone. Your parents obviously don't trust you enough to let you go through the jungle by yourself."
"Honestly, I've never been more grateful for that," William said, then asked. "What do we do now?"
Thalia replied, "We need to find the trog tribe. They've been migrating for some time now, moving south. We would be incredibly lucky if we could catch up with them."
Phoebus interjected, "Negative. My instructions are clear. I must bring you back to Avalon immediately."
Thalia understood but insisted, "If we don't seize this chance to catch up with the trogs, we might never find them again. You know what this place is like. They could vanish into one of those shifting planes of reality."
William questioned, "What if we get lost there?"
Thalia confidently assured, "We won't."
"How do you know?" William pressed.
"Just trust me."
And so, the two children, with a toddler troglodyte cradled in their arms, and the Avatar warrior as their companion, embarked on a lengthy journey, venturing into the heart of the uncharted lands of the Lost World, driven by hope and the spirit of adventure.